There are known configurations of gas supply arrangements which are integrated in a particle beam column. Examples of such configurations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,696, EP 2 091 066 A2, DE 102 08 043 A1, DE 10 2008 040 426 A1, DE 10 2007 054 074 A1, and US 2007/0246651 A1.
A configuration which includes a particle beam column and a gas supply arrangement can include a second particle beam column. The second particle beam column may direct a second particle beam to an interaction region. For such configurations, it may be desirable for the object to be tiltable relative to both particle beam columns. This, for example, can allow to selectively direct either the first or the second particle beam perpendicular to a surface of the object.
Commonly known configurations of integrated particle beam columns and gas supply arrangements can exhibit the disadvantages of being inflexible, and/or not permitting at the same time a small distance of the focusing lens of the particle beam column from the object and tilting the object. They also may have a negative influence on a symmetry of electric or magnetic fields of the focusing lens in the region of the object surface. Thereby, these configurations can have a detrimental effect on the quality of the particle beam in the interaction region or on the gas supply to the interaction region.